Some tank upgrades

[99Trev]

Spent about 5 hours on 2 separate upgrades (although somewhat related).

History:
I have a fuge that sits above my DT. It is supplied by my canister filter, and is drilled in one side to gravity feed back into the DT. The PVC that I had returning back to my tank had a lot of bubbles in it. I played with several different ideas, and came up with a design that kept the bubbles on the surface of the water. This did not affect the view in the DT, but I started to notice that I was getting a "mist" on my canopy and my lights. I would wipe it off every couple of days, but the reflectors and wires that go to the lights, and the wood were just starting to build up a lot. Somewhat like a protein skimmer using my canopy and lights as the catch basin.

Work:
SO. I got an old HOB filter, removed the pump, and put in some baffles. The fuge now drains into the filter where it gently flows back into the DT without any bubbles or mist. To put the HOB filter in place and plumb it, I had to remove the canopy.

SO while the canopy was off, I removed all of the lights, reflectors, mounting brackets, etc. Cleaned up everything, removed salt, mist, muck... And added in a new 3' reflector (and light). That in turn needed it's power supply to be plugged in, but my timer only had 2 outlets (for "day"), so I build a small wood panel that all of the T5 power supplies mount to. Those go to a power strip (that had to have some minor modification)...

So here is the finished projects:
<a href="http://s1082.photobucket.com/albums/j372/99trev/Tank%20Maintenance/?action=view&current=IMG_1422.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j372/99trev/Tank%20Maintenance/th_IMG_1422.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" ></a>

<a href="http://s1082.photobucket.com/albums/j372/99trev/Tank%20Maintenance/?action=view&current=IMG_1423.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j372/99trev/Tank%20Maintenance/th_IMG_1423.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" ></a>

This has now led me to a question (for those brave enough to have read all my ramblings thanks.). In the HOB return that I made I put in a foam filter piece, but could I add some bio balls? Or something that 'good' things can grow on? I am not planning on putting any lights on it, so it would only get what it gets from the other lights (and that is not much).

 

[fishaholic911]

Spent about 5 hours on 2 separate upgrades (although somewhat related).

History:
I have a fuge that sits above my DT. It is supplied by my canister filter, and is drilled in one side to gravity feed back into the DT. The PVC that I had returning back to my tank had a lot of bubbles in it. I played with several different ideas, and came up with a design that kept the bubbles on the surface of the water. This did not affect the view in the DT, but I started to notice that I was getting a "mist" on my canopy and my lights. I would wipe it off every couple of days, but the reflectors and wires that go to the lights, and the wood were just starting to build up a lot. Somewhat like a protein skimmer using my canopy and lights as the catch basin.

Work:
SO. I got an old HOB filter, removed the pump, and put in some baffles. The fuge now drains into the filter where it gently flows back into the DT without any bubbles or mist. To put the HOB filter in place and plumb it, I had to remove the canopy.

SO while the canopy was off, I removed all of the lights, reflectors, mounting brackets, etc. Cleaned up everything, removed salt, mist, muck... And added in a new 3' reflector (and light). That in turn needed it's power supply to be plugged in, but my timer only had 2 outlets (for "day"), so I build a small wood panel that all of the T5 power supplies mount to. Those go to a power strip (that had to have some minor modification)...

So here is the finished projects:
<a href="http://s1082.photobucket.com/albums/j372/99trev/Tank%20Maintenance/?action=view&current=IMG_1422.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j372/99trev/Tank%20Maintenance/th_IMG_1422.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" ></a>

<a href="http://s1082.photobucket.com/albums/j372/99trev/Tank%20Maintenance/?action=view&current=IMG_1423.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j372/99trev/Tank%20Maintenance/th_IMG_1423.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" ></a>

This has now led me to a question (for those brave enough to have read all my ramblings thanks.). In the HOB return that I made I put in a foam filter piece, but could I add some bio balls? Or something that 'good' things can grow on? I am not planning on putting any lights on it, so it would only get what it gets from the other lights (and that is not much).

I would skip any bio balls, replace all bio balls with live rock rubble.

 

[fishaholic911]

To get your pictures full size so you do not have to click on the picture copy and paste the IMG code from photobucket like this :

 

[Tucson Reef]

foam or bio balls are just nitrate factories, that went out about 20 years ago although some petshops still sell that as a salt set up.

 

[savageAJC]

yea skip the bio-balls, although LR rubble can be just as bad- Lots of detrius and junk can get caught in between the rocks etc.

 

[99Trev]

yea skip the bio-balls, although LR rubble can be just as bad- Lots of detrius and junk can get caught in between the rocks etc.

So if is skip the bio balls... set it up like a mini fuge, some live sand, rock rubble, possibly some clean up crew (hermit crabs)? Or would I just be better to have nothing more in it, and just use it as the bubble trap?

 

[99Trev]

fishaholic911, is it "better" to have the full size picture? I was thinking the thumb nails were better because then for people with slower connections did not have to wait for them to load.

 

[99Trev]

I was "day dreaming" about other things I could do with this added space. I am now thinking this might be the perfect place for my drip system (still building), and ATO line to run into (Since I don't have a sump). It is somewhat high flow area. some turbulence for mixing, hidden behind my canopy, so tubes and hoses will not be seen going into the tank (however the ATO float will still be in the tank... still looking for ideas on that one).

OR could I put the heater in it? I would have to do a little cutting to the baffles to make room for it, but it could fit. If this is OK to do, I am thinking the temperature probe would still stay in the display tank, a little ways away from the returning water. That would clean up the DT a bit more (by removing the "dangling" heater. The suction cups will just not hold up against my turbo snails, so I have just let it hang). It is one of the titanium ones, so I am not too worried about it being pushed around the tank just a little.

 

[sillygoose]

We keep our probe in the overflow.